Bane of Night: A Halloween Special
by Assassin In Black 1783
Summary: What if Elinana failed to travel through time? What if she was suddenly unable to move on, and forced to let go of her Father? And, what if a privet tour of Italy leads to deadly discoveries. [A non-canon story just for Halloween! Story contains blood, gore, death, sexual references, slight nudity, and some spoilers. Read at your discretion.]
1. Chapter 1

**Hello Readers,**

 **Happy All Hallows' Eve! (** _ **Mahahahaha! coughs up a hairball)**_ **Pardon me.**

 **Any-who, this is a non-canon,** _ **what if**_ **story. It's basically an idea that I wanted to play around with just for Halloween.**

 **Warning!**

 **Story has blood, gore, death, sexual references, slight nudity (only for brief moments, and I don't even get into detail frankly), maybe some spoilers, and Twilight fans; prepare to be disappointed, because the only thing that sparkles here is the snow.** _ **Chough—not a Twilight fan—chough!**_ **Reader's discretion is advised!**

 **And I don't own Assassin's Creed; it belongs to Ubisoft.**

 **Enjoy, and have a happy, safe, Halloween! And don't dress up as a clown, just don't. It's not funny, and people will run you over with a car.**

* * *

 **Translation list as in order of appearance, via Google Translate (which I don't own it either). And I apologize if it sadly fails, I'm not a linguist!**

 _Poco Colomba-_ Little Dove

 _Salve-_ Hello

 _Sì-_ Yes

 _Fratello-_ Brother

 _Venezia-_ Venice

 _No-_ No (no means no in more than one way!)

 _Non lo faro-_ I will not

 _Si può avere il mio cuore-_ You can have my heart

 _Mi dispiace-_ I'm sorry

 _Sono diciannove anni, si sono sedici. Non è vero fastidio?-_ I am nineteen, you are sixteen. Does it not bother you?

 _Ti amo-_ I love you

 _E io ti aspetterò-_ And I will wait for you

 _Bentornato a Venezia Fratello-_ Welcome back to Venice Brother

 _Saluti-_ Greetings

 _E 'un piacere conoscerti entrambi, e vi do il benvenuto a Venezia-_ It is a pleasure to meet you both, and I bid you welcome to Venice.

 _Voi due-_ You two

 _O Deus fortis-_ Oh mighty God

 _Proteggerla, e non lasciare che la seguono-_ Protect her, and do not let her follow

* * *

The darkness that Elinana thought had taken her away from fifteen o-four; slowly lifted away, letting her hear, and feel more of her surroundings. Fire snapped and cracked in the hearth nearby, and heavy rain pelted wooden walls. And her limp body was cradled on a hard mattress with blankets pulled up to her chin.

" _Hercules,"_ her hazy mind remembered her loyal stallion, whom wasn't in her feeble reach. _"Where's Hercules?"_

"Herc…" her voice came out weak, rough as rusty nails, and hardly more than a whisper. Wood creaked next to her. Indicating that she wasn't alone in her unknown whereabouts.

"It is alright," murmured the last voice she ever expected to hear again, and a warm hand caressed the side of her face. "You, and your horse will be alright, Poco Colomba."

She frowned, and tried to open her eyes that seemed to be glued shout. When she finally managed to partly open her eyes, Elinana gazed up at Ezio's whiskery face with a single scar on his lip and chin.

"No," she grounded with her heart painfully twisting. "No!"

"Elinana," Ezio gently spoke her name, holding back his pain from seeing her bend away to curl into a ball. "I am sorry."

"No!" she rasped, pushing against Ezio as he tried to get her to lay still. "I have to try again; I have to get back to Dad!"

"You cannot, Elinana," Ezio replied gripping her shoulder. "You nearly died today, your next attempt could very well kill you!"

"But, Dad," Elinana's voice cracked with the grip of a sob in her throat.

"He would not want you to risk your life for him, Elinana." Ezio stated softly, feeling his heart twist painfully in sympathy for her.

Elinana stopped fighting him. Her strength was sapped, and she lied limp as she started to weep into the blankets. Ezio scooped her into his arms to let her moans and tears fall onto his chest. And there they stayed, even when her tears ran dry.

 **One week later**

" _Ah_ , Ezio! Come in!" greeted Leonardo, looking up at him from his pile of papers with ink smudges on his nose and brow.

"Salve, Leonardo!" Ezio replied, warmly smiling at his old friend.

"What brings you here?"

"I think you should clean that ink off first, friend."

Leonardo frowned in puzzlement, then looked down at his hands that where smeared in ink. He muttered to himself as he looked for a rag to wipe his hands. Finding one, he proceeded to fiercely attempt to clean his hands.

"You might also want to wipe your face." Ezio advised. Leonardo then wiped his face, then glanced at Ezio who nodded.

"I came to tell you that Elinana and I will be leaving Roma in three days." Ezio informed.

"Are you certain that is wise? Last time I saw her, she was only just starting to leave the bed."

"Sì, but I think she needs to leave the city, so she may heal from her _internal_ wounds," Ezio then leaned on the table with a sigh in his breath. "She still grieves for her father, and with every day that passes I can feel her drifting more and more away. I will not see her fade from this world; I have seen her come close to death too many times!"

Leonardo strode to his friend's side, and firmly gripped his arm.

"I know, fratello," he stated kindly. "I know what she is to you, and you to her. Where will you two go then?"

"To the places I traveled to in my youth, and if the weather is fair, we will reach Venezia by December. I think she will enjoy the Christmas festivities there."

"I agree, Venezia always was a sight to behold when it was time for the holidays!" Leonardo stated with nostalgia.

* * *

Meanwhile, high up on the topmost rim of the Colosseum, Elinana sat with her legs bent before her. She gazed out to the rolling land that stretched out into the horizon. The wind whistled and blew onto her face. But she remained still, and stoic as the stones she sat upon. Faint grunting sounds reached her ears, getting closer and closer. But she ignored them, and simply kept her eyes on the horizon. Elinana listened to the person heave up behind her, but she remained sill as stone. Even when the person behind her grew quiet.

"E—Elinana?" she heard Dante's soft, musical voice that was just as rich with his Italian accent as Ezio's.

"Let me be." Elinana murmured, not looking away from the horizon.

"No," he replied. "Non lo farò."

Elinana slowly translated his words in her head, then turned around to face Dante. His big chocolate eyes gazed at her with a determination she never saw in him before.

"What do you want?" she asked.

Dante started to breath heavy, his face slowly turned a bright strawberry hue. Elinana half expected him to keel over any moment from a heart attack.

"Dante are you alright?" she asked with concern.

"Will you marry me?" he asked in English, wheezing and cracking as he did so. He hastily pulled out a simple silver band with some small marks of wear. The ring shone in the sunlight like a polished raw diamond. Elinana stared at the ring then at him with bewilderment, trying to understand what is happening before her.

"I—I'm sorry," she murmured, and Dante wilted like a flower without water. "You deserve someone, more. Someone that still has their heart."

"Si può avere il mio cuore!" he pressed, lightly hitting his chest where his said heart laid, then offered out his hands. Elinana could see the hope of acceptance, and of his heart that she could break with a single wrong word or gesture. Taking pity on him, she pushed his arms apart, and pulled him into her arms to embrace him.

"Mi dispiace," she whispered. "But it would be wrong to take your heart, and not offer one in return."

Elinana felt him sag in her arms then patted his back. He pulled back, and looked her in the eyes as the wind tugged at his curly, dark brown hair like an ignored pestering child.

"Aspetterò per il tuo cuore per tornare." He stated with determination.

"Pardon?" she asked, not knowing enough Italian to understand his words.

"Um, I, will, we—wait for your cuore, to return!" he said slowly in English, then smiled in triumph.

"Please don't."

"Lo farò." He stated with a stubbornness she never seen in him till now.

"Does it even bother you that I'm older then you?"

It was Dante's turn to look confused with his own lack of an English vocabulary.

"Sono diciannove anni," she stated in Italian. "si sono sedici. Non è vero fas—ah—fas—,"

"Fastidio?"

"Sì!" she replied, but he shook his head.

"Ti amo," he confessed with a bright strawberry face, and pulled back completely then kissed her hand. "E io ti aspetterò."

"Stubborn Italian." Elinana grumbled, and turned to the horizon with the tug of a smile at the corner of her lip.

 **December 1** **st**

Fat snowflakes drifted down from the light gray clouds. They danced to the icy waves that carried the ship towards the floating city in the horizon. Elinana stood at the bow of the ship, wrapped in her thick cloak with her hood up. She reached out a gloved hand to the swaying and twirling flaks. Bringing it back, she examined the tiny, delicate patterns of the flakes. Each hade different, sharp designs. And then they melted from the warmth of her hand beneath her leather gloves.

"You will enjoy Venezia," Ezio stated as he joined Elinana's side, placing a hand on the gunwale for support against the rocking of the ship. "Soon enough the festivities prior to Christmas will begin. Streets will be lit by lanterns, merchants will show all a matter of trinkets, bakeries making the streets smell sweet, and you will love the games and plays."

"I'm surprised you haven't said anything about the ladies." She jested, making Ezio smirk.

"Speaking of ladies, we will have to find you suitable garments for the festivities."

"My _garments_ are fine." She retorted.

"I will not have you parading around on Christmas in trousers."

Elinana rolled her eyes to the gray heavens, then watched the city slowly get closer.

"I hope Dante won't be sick once we get to Venice, or else the poor thing will suffer till we can arrange passage back to Rome."

"Speaking of Dante," Ezio stated with a tune of voice her father would use when trying to wriggle something out of her. "You have been trying to avoid him throughout the journey, and I have seen him gaze at you with longing."

"It's nothing." She replied, but Ezio arched an eyebrow, seeing past her remark.

"Has he done something foolish?" he inquired with his deep rumbling voice, reminding her of a tiger.

"No. But, he—he asked me to marry him," she replied hesitantly. "Just some days before we left Rome."

"And did you except?" he asked softly.

"No. But, he said that he would wait."

Silence grew between them. Both paying little attention to the sounds of the water around the ship.

"Do you love him?" Ezio inquired.

"No. But I _think_ I could, if I tried."

Ezio shook his head.

"You need not have to _force_ yourself too."

"Yes but, what is there for me?" she asked, turning to him. "I can't go home! I'm forced to try to live in a world that's not _mine_ , and…I don't know how to stop feeling like an outsider."

Ezio softly starred at her, and saw the pain in her that he felt long ago.

"I never told you this," Ezio began, leaning closer to Elinana, whom leaned on the gunwale. "After the death of my father and brothers; the city that was my birth place turned on me. And when my mother, Claudia and I arrived at Mario's Villa, I too felt like an outsider. But after a while it became home, because that was where my family was."

"I don't have a family, Ezio. You know that." Elinana stated, voice and throat becoming tight with pain.

"Have you already forgotten the oath you took?" he lightly tapped her left hand that bore the brand of the Brotherhood insignia. "You'll always have a place in the brotherhood, Colomba."

Ezio gently pulled her hood away, and kissed her forehead.

"What about Dante?" Elinana asked. "He's in love with me. But I don't want to be the one to break his heart."

"I will have a talk with him. But till then, I want you to enjoy Venezia."

"Alright." she faintly smiled.

* * *

The ship gently glided through to the docks of the flouting city. Crew men scurried up and down the deck, and masts. Obeying the Captain's and first mate's barked orders. Ezio stood out of the way with Elinana. She spotted a silky, slightly green faced Dante, and carefully darted to him. Guiding him to Ezio's side, they watched the ship get pulled up next to the docks of the harbor. Soon a plank was lowered and other passengers began to disembark, carrying their luggage.

Ezio lead Elinana and Dante toward the plank just as he saw a familiar face among the docks. The tall, black and gray haired man waved.

"Bentornato a Venezia Fratello!" called the man in greeting to Ezio.

"Salve Antonio!" Ezio called back, moving through the crowd to greet him, and speak in their native language. "It is good to see you again."

"And what of the city?" asked a purring voice. Ezio turned to see the still beautiful—though marked with age—sharp featured face of Rosa.

"Still as beautiful as the last I laid eyes on it." He flirted with a smirk. "Saluti Rosa."

Ezio then kissed her cheeks in greeting as Elinana and Dante joined the small group. He turned to the two, and placed a hand on Elinana's upper back.

"Antonio, Rosa," he addressed. "This is my apprentice, Elinana Cleo Doricent, and the boy is Dante; La Volpe's nephew."

"E 'un piacere conoscerti entrambi, e vi do il benvenuto a Venezia." Antonio greeted them in Italien, and bowed. Dante made a sickly sound beside Elinana,then started to pull away toward the edge of the dock then heaved over the side. He fell to his knees as Elinana darted to his side. Ezio and the other two Assassins cringing in sympathy. Attempting to not get sick themselves from the sounds that the boy made when heaving out his guts. But Elinana stayed by his side, gripping his shoulder, and cooed soothing words. She didn't cringe in disgusts; do to her being used to it after tending to him sense he got on the ship.

"Try to breath, buddy," she murmured. "Let it pass."

"Water sickness?" Antonio asked in his native language to Ezio as Rosa joined Dante's other side.

"Yes," Ezio replied. "and has been since he saw the water."

Rosa and Elinana helped Dante back up onto his wobbly, lanky legs and guided him through the crowds. Rosa then bellowed at a group of thieves that Elinana presumed where her men, and they swiftly headed for the ship.

"They will take your luggage to the Palazzo, don't worry little sister." Rosa informed in English to Elinana.

"Palazzo?" Elinana replied in puzzlement.

"Palazzo della Seta; our base of operations and home. Voi due!" Rosa suddenly barracked at Ezio and Antonio. "Make yourselves useful and help!"

The two men exchanged glances. Then they took the lead to guide, and make room through the bustling streets; as people called to sell their wares, and others simply yelled curses in arguments or after thieving children.

"So, you are the protégé Ezio so fondly wrote of," Rosa stated more then asked. "It is a pleasure to put a face to the name."

"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Ezio told me you two where close, and good friends."

"Is that how he phrased it?" Rosa inquired, eyeing Ezio.

"More or less." Elinana replied uncomfortably, not wanting to get on Rosa's bad side.

"Well, I am sure Dante will be over his seasickness soon, and we can talk more when it is just the two of us."

Elinana gave a small smile back at Rosa, and took in the sights of the snow blanketed city.

* * *

Dark clouds hid the stars, and the Cheshire cat smiling moon. Snow continued to fall beyond the chamber window, though the fire snapped and kept out the cold. Ezio laid shirtless, with Rosa nestled up next to him under the blankets. He traced the line of an old scar on the back of her shoulder, and remembered the night she got it.

"It feels like a life time ago when you gut this one." He murmured, making Rosa purr with a chuckle.

"Not this one," she purred, lightly caressing the firearm wound he received to his left shoulder just as his uncle was murdered. "It is newer."

Ezio took her hand gently, and pushed aside his painful memories. He then kissed her head that only had a few gray strands of hair among her raven black tresses.

"I am not the only one with new scars." He stated, tracing his other hand down her back under the blankets.

"I need to ask you something," Rosa stated, looked up at him with a firm gaze. "Is she your daughter?"

Ezio looked down at her with an arched eyebrow.

"No, Rosa. I did not father her," he replied. "She is like a younger sister in my eyes. Even—at times—she is like a child I never fathered."

"Are you _sure_ you did not father her? There is something about her that reminds me of you in your youth."

"She is not my daughter. Besides, she has lost two sets of parents."

"I did not know that," Rosa murmured, resting her head once more on Ezio's shoulder. "Is that why you have taken her under your wing?"

"It is one of the reasons. Though, there is more that I wish to do for her."

"What more is there?"

"I can make her my heiress," he informed. "I want to groom her to one day take my place as Mentor."

"You think she can handle it? She has the look of someone that has lived the life similar to a noble."

"I was once among the high class, and she is only some odd years older than me when I started on this road."

"Still," Rosa murmured. "She is not yet a woman."

"Not yet," Ezio agreed. "After Christmas, will you help me train her?"

"I will not take it easy on her, you know that right?"

Ezio opened his mouth to reply, but stopped when screaming pierced through the halls. He leaped out of the bed, and quickly pulled on his trousers before grabbing his sword. Stepping out into the hallway, Dante suddenly joined him in the hall, just as the screams stopped briefly. But then it started up again, and emanated from Elinana's chamber. Both ran for the chamber, ready to kill any who were molesting Elinana.

Ezio threw open the door, raised his sword for a fight, but saw no man in the room. But Elinana still screamed with her eyes tightly shout, gripping the blankets as though she where in pain. He darted to her side and dropped his sword to grip both her damp shoulders from sweat.

"Elinana!" he called her name, gently shacking her. "Elinana wake up!"

Her eyes flew open, and she feebly fight, and kicked her way to the head of the bed farm.

"Elinana it is alright, it is me!" Ezio gently spoke to her, his voice razed so she may hear him.

Elinana's wild, fear filled eyes gazed at him. Once she recognized him, she stopped fighting. But she still whipped her eyes around, and breathed heavily as her body shock.

"Elinana," Ezio softly spoke her name as if to a frightened animal, still gripping her shoulders. "It is alright, you are safe. You are safe Poco Colomba."

Elinana shook her head, tightly gripping his arm.

"Something has woken up," she shakenly whimpered. "Something—,"

Elinana stiffened when two forms suddenly darkened the doorway, but she relaxed when she saw that is was only Rosa in a white shift, and Antonio; holding aloft a dancing lantern.

"What has happened?" Demanded Antonio looking about the room as Rosa joined Ezio, and Dante's side; whom leaned on Ezio's sword.

"A nightmare, you may go back to bed." Ezio replied.

"No it wasn't!" Elinana pressed with a raised voice. "I felt her horrid breath and tongue. And—and…" she shook her head, tightly gripping Ezio, and closed her eyes.

Antonio left with the lantern, murmuring under his breath, but the others stayed with Elinana. Rosa reached out to Elinana, and gripped her arm. Elinana's wide gray eyes flew to Rosa to meet her gaze.

"What did you dream?" Rosa softly asked. "Start from the begging."

"In the dream," began Elinana, her slightly stronger. "Five thieves broke into a large, dark cathedral, with angels on the walls, and one on the floor. As they started sacking things, a monk found them, and confronted them. But one of the five came up behind the monk, and slight his throat. They continued on as—as the monk's blood flowed through a crack in the floor, down on to—to a cage of iron with…"

She stopped, shaking her bowed head as her body trembled. Trying to fight her fear.

"It is alright, Elinana," Ezio tried to comfort her. "You need not continue."

Elinana shook her head again, and looked up at him.

"No," she murmured, trying to push her fear down without much success. "The monk's blood fell into the mouth of a corpse inside the cage, and its eyes opened."

"Elinana corpse eyes cannot open their eyes." Rosa stated.

"This one's did, and it broke out and then drank the thieves' blood!"

"O Deus fortis." Dante muttered in Latin, crossing himself.

"You have been listening to too many folktales," Rosa muttered, and rose to leave. "It was a nightmare, nothing more."

"No it wasn't!" Elinana pressed, then turned to Ezio with desperation. "I know how it sounds, but you have to believe me, pleas!"

"What else happened?" he softly asked.

"It turned to me," Elinana murmured. "It sniffed, the air, and came towards me but I couldn't move. She asked me my name, and where I was but I didn't answer. Her body—it turned into a giant monster. It licked me, and called me 'Venenum Solis'. Then you wake me up as it was going to bite me."

" _Bane of Night."_ Ezio's thoughts murmured, and gazed off into his mind, knowing that Elinana don't know Latin. He turned to her, and pulled her close to his chest.

"Dream or vision, I will not let it harm you." Ezio murmured, then kissed her head before pulling away. He rose and pulled the blankets up to her chin. Then he turned to Dante, and ordered to him in their native language: "Proteggerla, e non lasciare che la seguono."

Dante nodded and handed Ezio back his sword. Ezio took it and marched from the room.

"Where are you going?" Elinana called after him.

"To put your fears to rest. One way or another." He replied.

"No!" Elinana yelled, and leaped out of bed. "Don't go after it! It'll kill you!"

She ran out into the hall with Dante behind her. Throwing her arms around Ezio, Elinana pressed the side of her face to his shoulder, and held him tightly.

"I can't loss you." She murmured into his hot flesh.

He pried her fingers away, and turned to her, cupping her face.

"You will never lose me; you have my word as an Auditore." Ezio promised, then pulled away to return to his chamber. Elinana tried to follow, but Dante held her back, and towed her back to her chamber. He entered his chamber, and find Rosa back in bead, her shift discarded on the floor.

"Finally talked some sense into the girl?" She purred, and laid back into the pillows. But he went straight to his robes and gear that sat on a chair by the bed. "What are you doing?"

"Elinana saw Basilica di San Marco in her dream, as well as heard the Latin words: 'Venenum Solis'."

"So?"

"How can she dream of a place and language she does not know?" he asked, pulling on his white chemise before his robes.

"Do not tell me you believe it."

"Keep an eye on her while I am gone, and do not let her follow me."

"You both have lost your senses." Rosa grumbled, making Ezio smirk as he buckled his belt and armor. He then marched to the window, and opened it to see the moon emerge from the cover of clouds. As he leaped into the window a large flock of pigeons and other birds flew over, flying in the direction of the main land.

"Rosa," Ezio addressed without looking back. "Pray that it is that simple." He then leaped out, then closed the window before leaping down onto the courtyard, and darted into the shadows and sparkling snow that crunched under his boots.

* * *

Ezio perched himself on a neighboring roof across from St. Mark's Basilica; a grand, old cathedral that housed the bones of one of the Brotherhood's famed brethren, and has also been called the Church of Gold.

The streets below Ezio where nearly completely vacant of life. One or two people at a time trudged through the street of slowly growing layers of snow. Echoing howls and barks of dogs sounded from all the edges of the city. As they were attempting to escape, or evade something; mush as the birds that all have seemed to have fled.

Ezio would be lying if he claimed that he didn't feel the same urge as the animals; the urge to turn back, and take all his Brothers and alleys far from the city. He remembered well of the stories he heard about creatures that go bump in the night, including those of seductive, blood drinkers known to consume even the bravest of worriers into mad fear. But the curse of human curiosity compelled him to climb down the side of the structure. Landing on the snow with a crunch, the sound was eaten by the hunger of winter's chilly silence. His breaths came out in vaporous puffs, drifting away from under his hood before evaporation into the night.

Ezio slowly strode down the street, trying to determine where the thieves in Elinana's vison could have gotten inside. It was then that he came to a side door that sat ever so slightly ajar. He glanced around the street, then strode to the door, and gently pushed on it. The door _creaked_ loudly as it slowly swung open, and the sound echoed into the darkness of a hall. He stepped into the darkness, and closed the door behind him with the door groaning painfully.

The hallway lead to a large iron gate, and much like the first door, it too sat slightly ajar. Pouching it open Ezio continued. He ignored the nagging voice at the back of his mind, telling him to turn back. He stepped through the gaping mouth of the threshold into the belly of the dark cathedral. Pale rays of moonlight dimly shone through the stained windows that sat aloft in the stone and gold walls, creating a poor light source. A discarded lantern lay on the floor, creating a small, warm glow of false security.

Ezio stood in the darkness, and surveyed the area, searching for the thieves and monk. But all there was, was the cold stillness that of a dead man's tomb in winter.

Finally daring to move, Ezio slowly strode toward the lantern and picked it up. Holding aloft the lantern, he turned to march toward the altar, but halted when a drop of blood fell onto his gloved hand that held up the lantern.

Looking up, he saw a form fall, and land with a thud that echoed through the cathedral. The thing that fell was the body of a thief. The face was distorted in horror, and it was shriveled like a prune; drained completely of blood.

Ezio gazed wide eyed at the body, then turned to the echoing sounds of nails digging, and scuffling high above him. He drew his sword, and the scuffling halted. Silence grew, and he stood his ground against the dark, even when his instincts yelled at him to run. He channeled his focus on his vison, and the darkness deepened. High up to the right where the dim red and single blue forms of bodes; all laying limp in the upper walkways. He looked about the high ceiling, then froze when his eyes found a pair of red eyes that reflected light like an animal's. Ezio tried to move, but his body became as heavy as lead; unable to turn away from the red eyes, and deep crimson painted mouth.

The pair of eyes slowly became slanted, as if the owner of the eyes tilted its head. Drawing a deep breath, he dropped his sword then willed his left arm to reach back, and griped his crossbow. Bringing his arm back, he took aim, then pulled the trigger. The arrow flew for the area between the red eyes. But in a single heartbeat, they vanished; like candles being snuffed out.

Finally gaining control over his body again, he placed the crossbow back on his back, and grabbed his sword. Ezio the turned toward the door. He decided that moon lit streets, and rooftops where a better place to face whatever it was that was hunting him. But as he darted for the mouth of the hallway, something tackled him to the ground. The lantern fell from his hands. And he felt strong hands turn him onto his back, and looked up at his hunter.

Crimson eyes once more held him in a frozen spell. They gazed down at him from an elegantly, sharp featured face. Long blazing curls cascaded to the floor, and coursed his cheek and temple. Her blood bathed mouth grinned down at him, like a cat pinning a mouse under her paws. She lowered herself closer to him, so her twilight colored, silk clothed bust rested on his rising and falling chest piece.

Unable to pull away, he felt her damp tongue lick his neck; reminding him of Elinana's fear filled face, and quivering voice. His body jerked, and he shoved the creature away from him. Backpedaling, he raised his sword, and pointed it at her throat where a bead of blood sat; but mistakenly look her in the eyes.

"Salutations to ye, Adam." She greeted in his native language, her voice hard like nails being dragged over stone.

"That is not my name," Ezio growled. Finding his strength, he brought his sword back in a swing then swung for her neck. But she vanished into the darkness then suddenly pinned him to the cold floor without warning, and again turned him to her.

"Then proclaim thy name." She commanded, her will pressing on him like a pile of heavy stones. He tried to fight her, but his will failed him to keep his mouth close.

"Ezio Auditore da Firenze." He unwillingly replied.

"Ezio Auditore de Firenze," she replied, testing, and rolling the words around in her red mouth. "A handsome name for a handsome man." she then pulled his hood back with her hands that had dirt, and blood stained nails. They were long, and sharply curved; like the talons of a bird of prey.

"Where is thy Eve?" she demanded. "I smelt the stench of her shadow, but she awoke before I could drain her soul."

The thought of Elinana returned some of his strength, and he gazed back at her in defiance.

"Where does the Venenum Solis hid?" She demanded, her will hitting him as one hits the ground from a high distance. He breathed heavily from the effort to fight her.

"Never." he panted.

"So be it then." She murmured.

Her red fangs grew past her lips, then within a heartbeat, Ezio felt her bite into his neck. The pain shocked him out of the spell, and he pushed her with his hidden blades driving into her chest. Her fangs released his neck, and she withdrew, showing no signs of pain. Dark crimson blood pooled around her wounds, but Ezio saw her pearl white skin seal back, leaving no mark of damage.

Ezio bolted for the exit and didn't look back. He slammed the gate shout behind him, as well as the door when he rushed past. Panting heavily, Ezio ran for the structure across the snow blanked street, and quickly clambered up. He ran, and ran, till he came into the Arsenal of Venice. Out of breath, he leaned on the side of a wharf and gingerly placed a hand to his neck that throbbed. The pain spread to his shoulder and back, and felt liquid fire spread through him.

Ezio shuffled to the door of the wharf, and pushed open. Slipping inside, his head spun as the fire crawled up into his skull. His knees buckled under him, and he fell to the cold ground. And struggled against the pain.

" _Ezio…"_ he heard the whispering, pledging voice of Elinana in his head. _"You promised me…"_

Red glowing eyes in the dark came into his blurry sight. And sat tauntingly like a cat watching a mouse die.

"This embrace is not death," informed the creature, as his eyes went dark. "He comes later, my mate."

End of Chapter I

 **I'm sorry Ezio! I feel bad doing this to him!** _ **But**_ **, have no fear (** _ **hay!**_ **put those spells, curses, and hexes away or I won't be able to save him!) Stay tuned! (please don't hate me!) And I tried/failed to make the lady vampire speak like a Shakespearian. Okay, she is ancient so she is bound to talk funny. But, I do hope you all like it so far.**


	2. Chapter II

**Translations**

 _Il mostro è qui-_ The monster is here

 _il mio bambino-_ my child

 _Mio Dio-_ Dear God

 _Arresto-_ Halt

 _Egli non è il nostro nemico-_ He is not our enemy

 _Ti ho detto di non lasciare il suo mi segue-_ I told you not to let her follow me

 _Accidenti-_ Damn it

 _Sì_ -Yes

* * *

Drums gently sounded off in the distance, pulling Ezio from the deep darkness of slumber. He shivered from the chill that sank deep into his bones that ached. But his dry throat outweighed his chill and pain. He turned to his side, and slowly rose despite his aching limbs. As he sluggishly got to his feet, and used a wooden post for support; he was hit by the intense smell of fish, human waist, the chilly musty dampness of wet wood, and the strong coppery smell of blood. The smells were so intense, he fought the strong urge to puke.

Ezio looked about the wharf; past the dangling chains and ropes stood the woman that bit him. She changed gowns, and now wore a dress of a noble woman with a peril neckless draped around her throat. Her blazing hair cascaded to her back from the high bun. And the scent of blood radiated from her like a sort of perfume, and once more her red gaze held him.

"Thee are strong," She purred with a gentler voice; totally unlike the night before when it was hard, and callous as nails on stone. "Many parish from my venom. Blood, the single miracle of Father. It surpasses time, binds strangers, and is the only reason thy heart beats."

She slowly strolled toward him, not making a sound; save for the ruffling of her dress that was louder than it should sound.

"Blood will be thy only sustenance henceforth," she purred, snaking a hand across his chest to his back. "You are my child, my hunter, and my mate once thy has drank the life of a mortal."

"What have you done to me?" Ezio murmured weakly, growing even more thirsty, and sick with her being near.

"I have liberated thee from the drab life of mortals," She replied, and looked him in the eyes. "Where does Eve hid?"

The mention of Elinana jolted power back into him, making his heart beat faster than the distant drums. He reached for her neck in a single heartbeat, and activated his hidden blade so that it slid into her white skin. The string of the necklace was cut, and perils fell like stars to the ground.

Again, she showed no sign of pain, then griped his arm in bone snapping strength and flung him across the wharf. Ezio hit the ground hard. Shaking his head that swam with dizziness, he rose to his feet, and looked back up at her.

"Insolent fool." she growled. Her eyes burning like embers, and fangs glinted white over her red lips.

Ezio reached for a slender knife on his belt then threw it for her heart, but she ran in nearly a complete blur, and the knife hit the post. Following her blurry form, he threw another knife. She made a terrible, bloodcurdling, animal like screech as she gripped her arm that had the knife buried into her flesh.

Instead of continuing to face her, and potentially die, or fall completely under her influence; Ezio ran for the door in a blur with her still howling her eerie cry, and bulleted out into the shipyard. Running with the wind on his heels, Ezio flew down the streets at a speed he never ran at before. Drums beat all around him, and he could smell the pungent perfume off a woman that stood yards away from him as he ran by. It was only when hearing his own fast heartbeat did he realize that the drums where the heartbeats of people.

Ezio found himself still extremely parched, and slowed near a well to draw up icy water. Too thirsty to fear about getting sick from drinking straight out of the bucket; he placed the bucket on the stone rime, and plunged his face into the icy water and drank. Ezio accidently inhaling some water from the shook of the chill, but he drank till his lungs screamed for air. He tore his face from the water, gasping for air as he felt the hot touch of the sun on his face.

Though the bucket was nearly empty his throat still felt dry. But at least he was no longer in vary much pain. The smell of blood reached his nose, and he turned to the source. Expecting to see the nameless woman from hell standing behind him, instead he looked down to see a little girl in rags. She looked up at his dripping wet face with curiosity, and it was then that he saw a small cut on her arm. The gentle beating of her heart sounded like the fluttering of dove wings. His throat scream with pain from thirst. Thirst that begged and demanded him to bite the little girl. Fighting the terrible urge to descend on her he dove his head back into the bucket.

" _What has she done to me?"_ he thought, drinking the chilly water, and smelling only the dampness of the cold wood. With his head in the bucket, he discovered that not only was the water draying out all smells, but it muffled the sounds as well, and the chill helped distract him from his thirst.

" _I need to know who—what—that woman is,"_ Ezio thought. _"I can only hope I can find something at Basilica di San Marco before I do something I'll regret."_

Ezio pulled his head from the bucket and ran for the nearest water channel. Diving into the icy waters he followed the way back toward the Cathedral.

* * *

For what seemed like an eternity Elinana laid beneath the blankets. Dante laid on the blankets behind her, and held her to him. Countless times she tried to escape him to go after Ezio, but Dante was stubborn, and stronger then she thought. Though she had argued and even yelled at him, Dante kept her confined to the room.

After a long restless night dawn finally approached. Though Elinana had her back to the window, and no light streamed into the chamber—do to it being on the west side of the Palazzo—her internal clock told her it was early morning. She was more aware of the smallest sounds, and less afraid of the withdrawing darkness.

Dante started to snore softly into the blankets near her neck, and his arm laid limp over her. The desire to go after Ezio rekindled within Elinana. She then formed a plan, and started to slowly pull herself toward the edge of the bed inch by inch. After she got a few inches away he groaned. Stopping in her tracks, Dante turned onto his stomach, groaned pleasantly, then continued his snoring.

Continuing her snail paced escape, Elinana slinked bit by bit closer to the edge of the bed. After what seemed like an hour she finally slid silently, and slowly out from under the blankets onto the icy floor. She sneaked to her luggage bag, and dug out her white and dusty blue robes, and her gear. Elinana held her robes and gear to her chest, as if they contained Ezio's life force. With robes and gear pressed to her chest, she crept to the door, and silently slipped out.

Snow drifted down through the opening high above, riding on the breath of the north breeze. A light dusting of snow coated the floor, making Elinana's feet scream from the chill. Quickly darting down the hall to Dante's chamber, she silently slipped in, and quickly dressed.

Once cladded in the robes and weapons of the Brotherhood; she stuffed her hair that was pulled back in a ponytail, under her hood, and went to the window. Pushing it open, Elinana leaped through to hang out of the window. She climbed down a yard before leaping, and turning to land with a roll onto the fluffy blanket of snow. She kicked off running with her cape danced behind her shoulder. Making the Auditore coat of arms dance and bend.

Elinana took to the snow coated rooftops, and gazed about the city. Gazing about, she shortly realized that she didn't know the location of where her vision took place. Let alone where Ezio could be now.

" _Darn Dante's and Ezio's stubbornness'!"_ Elinana's thoughts snapped. _"Now I have no way to find him—!"_

She then slapped her palm to her forehead.

"Of course!" she exclaimed. "Boy I'm stupid."

Elinana then closed her eyes and breathed in the chilly air. The sounds of the crowds below faded away. Opening her eyes to the darkened world, she saw the blue ghost like form of Ezio run past her on a neighboring roof, following a blue string trail in the direction of the cathedral off in the distance. Kicking up the snow in her wake, Elinana ran after Ezio's ghost.

* * *

Merged in the crowds, Elinana examined the closed door that Ezio's blue ghost lead her to, then disappeared through. Not wanting to be seen going into the Cathedral, she gazed about the area. Not far away was full cart that sat near scaffolding. Seeing a way up, she remembered Ezio telling her of a secret entrance into a Cathedral that matched the description to the one that towered over her. Though she would be clearly seen climbing the structure, no one could stop her; so long as she was fast, and no guards caught her doing it.

Elinana glanced around, but saw no red, glowing guards traipsing through the snow. She darted for the cart. Running over the creates, she leaped for the scaffolding ledge then heaved herself up with a grunt. She ignored the calling voices below. Stepping back, she darted for the red brick wall to the left of the platform. She leaped and gripped the protruding decorative rim, and shimmied over to another platform. Heaving herself up, she ran and leaped up for another platform. Rising to her feet, she ran and clambered up onto the roof of the Cathedral.

Towering mounds of the polyhedral domes of the roof stood over Elinana. They made her feel small, and unwelcome under their shadow. She walked over the gentle slopes of the roof to the far side. And came upon tall ebony, iron fencing that walled out the way to a great courtyard, and was topped by sharp points.

Following the ebony fence, Elinana came upon a balcony below the roof. Climbing down the ladder, she was meet by an upside down skull rimmed by the symbol of the Brotherhood. It sat and stared at her with its white jawless, toothy grin. Stepping closer she saw clean lines in the skull. She placed her fingers into the eyes and pulled. A metallic _click_ sounded behind the skull, and it parted and shifted till it clicked into an upright position.

Elinana stood in silence, waiting for an effect but nothing happened. She started to think that this way was no longer accessible, and could only be used once. But she was determined to get inside, so she pulled out the upper part again, and again it clicked and shifted into its upside-down position. Heavy stone scrape against stone, and a rectangular opening slid into darkness. Elinana stepped through into the dark hall. Tentatively walking deeper into the shadows, she heard the stone slab move back, and plunged her into darkness.

Elinana's heart began to beat fast against her rib cage. Her imagination creating the form of the woman from her vision in her mind's eye: red eyes gazing into her soul, blood dripping from the woman's crimson painted mouth, long clawed hands reaching out of the darkness to dig into her flesh, before plunging her fangs into Elinana's neck, and then drinking her dry.

Elinana shoved her fearful imagination aside, and turned her focus back to the search for Ezio. Placing both hands to the walls she felt her way through the dark. After a yard or so she kicked a bit of stone. She reached a hand out and felt a wall just on her finger tips. Coming to the conclusion that she had found a step, she wondered why a wall would be just beyond a step.

Elinana stepped up onto the stone, then the stone sank under her, and a click sounded into the darkness. She then felt the stone move, as if she were on a playground's merry-go-round, and the stone growl as it scraped against stone.

Light streamed through the growing crack as Elinana rode the stone. She turned around to face a walkway beneath a large arched window that illuminated the gold walls with a pale gray and yellow light. Elinana tentatively stepped off the stone platform, and crept to the gaping mouth into the large Cathedral. The painful echoes of the secret passage turning back in place behind her, made her cringe. And she hopped no one noticed the sound.

Elinana crept low, just away from the stone railing, and gazed out over the large hall of the cathedral. Monks in red and dark brown crowded around on the far side in clusters; and all murmured in Italian. Fearing that it was Ezio's corpse that they were crowded to, Elinana swiftly crept along the walkway to the other side. Followed it till, she came to the end if the walkway.

At the center of one cluster of monks was a dark hole gapping into the dark depths that concealed the cage that had imprisoned the creature. At the center of the other cluster where the decrepit, shriveled bodies of the monk and thieves from her vision. But Ezio's body wasn't among them.

Sighing with relief, Elinana breathed deeply as if she had been holding her breath. Eyes closing, she cleared her mind. Opening them back up she saw Ezio's ghost among the dark forms of the monks, but to her surprise one of the monks glowed blue. Ignoring the monk, she watched Ezio's past actions. From him holding aloft the lantern to him facing the falling body, and the unseen threat that didn't appear through her sense, even if it was very evident that he had been hunted. Elinana watched Ezio's ghost try to fight the invisible monster in vain, and then was pinned to the ground. She saw his defiance, and soundless words then pain as if bitten.

Once more Elinana's breath was caught in her throat, and barely drew breath as she watched Ezio's ghost drive his hidden blades into the invisible foe. He then rose to his feet before bolting for the mouth of the exit.

" _Ezio!"_ Elinana's thoughts sobbed.

"Lilith!" called a man behind her.

Whipping around, she saw a monk hold up a shaking crucifix toward her, slowly backing away.

"Il mostro è qui!" he called with terror in his voice.

Elinana whipped her head back down below to the sound of clanking armor. Large men covered in armor from head to toe held up their long glinting weapons. The guards shouted at her as other monks pulled out their crosses, and started muttering quickly in prayer as they retreated.

"Dang!" she hissed under her breath then turned to run back to the secret entrance, hoping that she could escape the way she came. Suddenly a voice boomed out in command below, and all were silenced; including the noisy guards. Elinana kept running, even when the booming voice was clearly ordering her to stop.

"Apprentice of Ezio Auditore!" called the voice.

Elinana slid to a stop beneath the large window with the outline symbol of the cross standing tall. She turned to the hall to see an old monk in red and white robes marched toward her with guards at his flank. Beneath his crimson cap was a wrinkly face with a beard as white as snow hanging from his jaw.

"Come hither child," the monk's voice was powerful and fruity; giving Elinana a sort of impression of a skinny, Italian Santa disguised as a monk. "You have nothing to fear!"

"What do you know of Ezio?" Elinana called down, keeping her guard up even if he was the one that had glowed blue.

"Maestro Auditore is one of my consolers, and a friend," Softly replied the monk, looking up at her. "He wrote to me of one of his pupils being unwaveringly loyal, and to whom he gave the garb of his family's crest."

Elinana's hand gripped her cape on its own accord, and held it tight.

"Will you let me leave?" she inquired. "I have to go, _now_."

"And where is it we are in a hurry to go?" he inquired.

"Ezio is in danger, I have to find him." She replied pleadingly.

"We all are, I'm afraid," he replied, and motioned for her to come.

Elinana warily obeyed, and vaulting over railing. She leapt to a protruding pole, then to the floor with her boots clap against the marble that echoed through the grand hall. She rose to her feet and eyed the guards that sized her up.

Elinana was an average tall for a woman: being five-foot six. However, she nearly towered over most women, and a number of men—the monk before her being one of them. And the old monk looked up at her as if she where an Amazonian.

"Who are you, if I may ask." Inquired Elinana, still eyeing the guards, and still acknowledging the monk.

"Pope Julius the second, il mio bambino." Replied the Pope with a pleasant smile and blinked at her as if he where part owl.

"Elinana Doricent," she introduced herself with a quick curtsy. "As pleasant as it is to meet you, I really must go."

"As talented and gifted as you may be, Doricent. You would die swiftly trying to fight her." he stated.

"Who?" she asked. " _What_ is she?"

"The Mother of Night, and of Monsters. Lilith, the first demon."

"There's no such thing." Elinana murmured, but her fear told her otherwise.

"I wish your words proved true, Doricent. Tell me what brings you here."

"Ezio—," no sooner did she say these words, that a monk on the fare side of the grand hall called out in fright. All the monks took up the call, as if they were a flock of frightened birds. The Pope's guards turned toward the direction of the sound, and raised their glinting weapons. And while others ran away from the cause of the commotion, Elinana ran toward it.

Pouching her way through the crowd, Elinana saw Ezio's form laying on the ground in the threshold she had saw his blue ghost vanish through. Darting to his side she fell to her knees, and struggled to pull his cold, wet form onto his back. Once on his back, she saw that his face was deathly pale, and he had dark rings around his closed eyes. Elinana pulled her glove off then touched the aria on his neck just beneath his jaw. His skin was clammy and his body barely shivered, but his pulse beat against her finger.

"Ezio…" Elinana whispered, holding back grief and fear. She looked out to the frightened monks, murmuring just as they had not too long ago.

"Help him!" she yelled at them, hoping they would stop their ridiculousness murmuring and do something helpful. "Pleas!"

To her slight relief Julius pushed his way toward them then kneeled on Ezio's other side.

"We have to get him to a fire, and get him out of these wet clothes. _Now_." She stated, voice slightly quivering.

The Pope snapped his fingers, and the two guards stepped forward. He rose and ordered to them quickly in Italian. They nodded their clanking helmets then laid down their weapons. Both took potation at either end of Ezio, then scoped down to pick him up, and began to swiftly carry him down the grand hall as the crowd of monks parted like the Red Sea.

Elinana followed after them with Julius keeping up at her side. She undid her cape, and laid it over Ezio in attempt to shield him from farther chill. They hurried through the Cathedral out into the snowy courtyard she had seen beyond the fence on the roof. Racing up the stairs, Elinana and Julius followed the guards up to a chamber where a fire burned. The guards gently laid Ezio on a sofa, then moved it closer to the fireplace to Julius's order.

Elinana at once set to removing Ezio's gear and robes. She struggled do to Ezio's weight, but she managed to strip him down to his pants. Knowing well that she couldn't leave his wet pants on him, and that he wore no underwire; she closed her eyes and struggled to yank off his pants. Julius placed a blanket over him to Elinana's relief, and she started to remove her gear.

"What are you doing child?" Julius asked after throwing another blanket over Ezio.

"Blankets and a fire aren't enough to warm him up before his heart gives out." She replied. "As stubborn as he is, it's not enough."

Elinana then slipped under the blankets—save for one to part her from his naked form—and placed herself over his icy body that shivered faintly under her.

"I highly advise you to remove yourself from Maestro Ezio, child!" Julius ordered, with his wide owl eyes.

"If I do that he's more likely to die," She replied, placing one arm under Ezio's neck, and laying her head onto his shoulder. "Besides, it's not like I'm doing anything what a Courtesan does, I'm trying to save him by giving him my warmth."

"It is not you doing something sinful to him, so much as him doing something to _you_."

"He would never do anything like that to me!" she growled over her shoulder. "He may like the comfort of women, but he never has, nor will rise a hand to me that way!"

"It was not sex that I was referring to. I fear him drinking you dry."

"What?" she snapped. "You said Lilith was a demon! And last time I checked, demons and Vampires are two totally different things!"

Julius marched around to the head of the sofa, and knelt to look eye to eye at Elinana.

"If Lilith bites a man or woman when the moon is nearly black, that person is cursed with Vampirism. Albeit, if the moon was nearly full, circumstances would be much different. But the fact still remains that he has been bitten—,"

"He's sick, and has stage three hypothermia!" she growled, trying to fight her growing fear of the truth. A truth that the stuff of nightmares where tangible. But she was more afraid of the truth that Ezio was a Vampire, and that it was _her_ fault that he was like this. Much as it was her fault that the mad man Gasparo, had poisoned Ezio just months ago.

"He can't be…" she murmured with a tight throat.

"Do not lose heart, child," Julius stated. And layed a gentle, wrinkly hand on her shoulder. "All is not completely lost. The fact that he is suffering from hypothermia means that he has not drank Human blood yet. Which means he has not yet reached the second, and final phase of the curse."

"So, are you saying that he's _half_ Vampire or something?" she asked, trying to wrap her head around it all.

"Sì, you could say something of the sort."

Elinana looked down to Ezio's deathly pale face. Taking her free hand from his chilly hand that ounce was as warm as the touch of the sun. She cupped his icy cheek, and fought the burn of tears behind her eyes. Julius rose to his feet without word, and strolled across the crimson and golden yellow carpet to the doorway. He gently called out in Italian, and she heard the quick shuffling of footsteps of a servant or monk coming to his call.

Elinana dismissed Julius and the servant, turning her attention completely to Ezio who started to shiver violently under her. Though she still feared for him about his Vampirism; she was somewhat comforted by the fact that his shivering meant that his body was fighting to get warm. Once more she found herself thankful for his stubborn heart, but not so much for his stubborn mind. But like the time she struggled to tend to him, and make an antidote for Gasparo's poison; she felt the same fear when she would watch helplessly when his body would convulse from the poison that fought to stop his heart.

"I'm sorry…" Elinana whispered, taking her hand from his face, and gripped his shacking arm. Resting her head back on his shoulder, she listened to the beat of his defiant heart through the cloth of her hood. Unable to hold back her pain any more, hot tears flowed from her closed eyes. Her shoulders trembled from the sobs as she breathed into Ezio's chest. Julius returned her side and gently gripped her shoulder, but he failed to comfort her.

"It's my fault he's like this," she murmured with her voice being clawed up by grief. "It's all my fault."

"Poppycock," Julius replied. "You did not bite him, and you did not make him swim in the canals."

Elinana dismissed his attempt to comfort her, and continued to silently weep as Ezio shivered. She ignored the servant that returned, and Julius who quickly marched to him. He sent the servant away then returned to her and Ezio's side. The sound of a cork being popped made her ears twitch. Then she felt Ezio's head being raised up. She whipped her head up, and she quickly grasped Julius's hand that held the dark whine battel over Ezio's ajar mouth.

"What are you doing?" she demanded with a hint of anger. "He can't drink alcohol in this state!"

"You still see him as a human," he stated. "Your loyalty blinds you to your danger, as well as his! In this bottle is the blood of a lamb mixed with wine. Both of which will not only save you, but your Master as well."

"Are you nuts!" she exclaimed. "You said blood would start the second phase!"

"I said _Human_ blood would," he nearly snarled back at her with his growing annoyance to her. "Lambs blood, and wine is said to satisfy the thirst of a man that has not yet drank from a fellow man. And that it will not trigger the last phase."

She looked down at Ezio's violently shivering form, unsure of Julius's words.

"I promise he will not turn," Julius continued, sensing her uncertainty. "It will help him. You have my word as a man of God; if you believe in the Holly Spirit."

Elinana thought for a moment while gazing up at his pale hazel eyes. She hesitantly loosened her gripe on his arm, and gazed hard at him in warning.

"Fine," she murmured in a small growl. "But from a Christion to a Catholic, and as God as my witness; if anything happens to him, it won't be Lilith people will have to worry about."

"Duly notated." He replied.

With Julius's hand free, he lowered the bottle to Ezio's mouth. He gently tipped it so a small trickle of the crimson liquid of wine, and lambs blood flowed into Ezio's ajar mouth. Elinana could smell the pungent coppery aroma of blood and alcohol. It was a strung combination, so strong it twisted her stomach. She pitied Ezio. Knowing that he would not like to know that he drank the blood of an animal—or any blood for that matter.

" _Forgive me…"_ Elinana's thoughts whispered as she watched Ezio automatically swallow the concoction, and felt him shiver violently.

* * *

After a long hour of Ezio shivering violently, and of Julius purring small amounts of wine and lambs blood into Ezio's mouth every now and then; Ezio's shivering steady grew gentler as she felt warmth slowly return to him. But little color returned to his face. Elinana had her cheek on his shoulder, feeling slightly chilly herself from being leeched off for warmth for so long. But she stayed cuddled over him, and listened to the comforting _thump-thump_ of Ezio's heart.

A cry of agony rang off in the distance, followed by the clanging of metal. Elinana raised her head as Julius rose to his feet and quickly strode to the window. She carefully slipped out of the blankets, and tugged them up to Ezio's chin. Darting to Julius's side, she looked down into the courtyard to see the guards fighting mercenaries that moved in a bluer. They ripped armor off of the feebly fighting guards, and bit into their necks as they flailed helplessly.

"Mio Dio." Julius murmured.

Elinana darted to her belt, and quickly flung it on. She also grabbed Ezio belt and crossbow before sprinting for the door.

"Stay with Ezio!" she yelled back at Julius.

A handful of guards managed to stay alive, and kill two of the vampire mercenaries by lopping off their heads. As Elinana ran down the snow sprinkled marble stairs, a mercenary that was drinking the blood of a dying, limp guard looked up at her. Blood bathed his lower face crimson, making his already pale skin look just as white as the snow. But it was his unnatural red eyes that stopped Elinana in her tracks. He smiled a crimson grin, showing his glinting fangs.

The mercenary let the body fall, then ran for her in a bluer. Elinana quickly raised the crossbow and pulled the trigger. No sooner than the small arrow was leased, that the mercenary halted before her just steps away with the arrow in his heart. He fell limp, but his eyes still looked about as if he were paralyzed.

Elinana tried to pull the string back to reload the weapon, but a form abruptly fell beside her. Jumping with a yelp, she looked down to see that it was a mercenary with a blade in his head. Looking up she saw Dante running toward her. Turning back to the crossbow, Elinana pulled the string and loaded an arrow. Just as soon as she had loaded the crossbow, she took aim for a mercenary holding a guard, and fired at the heart. And the vampire fall paralyzed to the ground.

Elinana was suddenly thrusted to the ground with cold hands turning her onto her back. Dante looked down and raised his blade, to killed the vampire. But he was pushed over the railing by the vampire. She activated her hidden blades and attempted to plunge them into his heart. But he painfully gripped her wrist, and pinned her arms over her head. She feebly struggled as her thoughts, and heart screamed Ezio's name.

"Struggle little worm," the mercenary smiled with fresh blood gripping onto the base of Elinana's thought. "It will help the blood flow."

Shortly after she saw a blur at the corner of her eye, an arm wrapped around the vampire's neck and ripped him off of her. The other arm griped the head of the vampire, then ripped it's head off with a terrible snap of bone.

Ezio threw the head way as Dante rushed to Elinana's side, and wrapped an arm around her as Ezio ran past them in a blur. Dante and Elinana looked down at the courtyard and watched Ezio's pale form blur from one vampire to another. Fighting and killing each till he stood amongst the fallen bodies of guards and vampires. Only two guards survived the onslaught. And they aimed their weapons at Ezio.

"Arresto!" demanded the booming voice of Julius, whom descended the stairs with a blanket draped over his arm. "Egli non è il nostro nemico."

Ezio glared hard at Elinana and Dante, then began marching toward them. Elinana everted her eyes to the sky as Dante grew stiff next to her with fear.

"Dante!" Ezio barked angrily. "Ti ho detto di non lasciare il suo mi segue! And you!" he turned his sights to Elinana, still looking up to the heavens.

"Look at me!" he demanded angrily. Painfully griping, and shacking her shoulders. She looked up to see not his deep brown eyes, but icy blue eyes full of anger. "I told you to stay at the Palazzo! Accidenti Elinana, that devil woman could have found and killed you!"

Ezio saw the fear and pain in her eyes, and her heart beat loudly in his ears like the galloping of a horse.

"I left because I was worried about you, you big idjit," she growled, fighting the hot tears that threatened to flow down her face. "I love you; you are the only reason I'm here. And I told you that I couldn't loss you!"

"And what if I were to loss you?" he roared. "Did never give a thought to how I felt when I saw you in danger? I am your Master, I am meant to protect you, and lay _my_ life down for you! Not the other way around!"

Tears flowed unwillingly from Elinana's eyes as Ezio shivered from either anger or chill. She closed her eyes, and turned away. And fought the clawing sob in her throat.

"Look at me." He growled, but Elinana didn't comply. "Look at me!"

She slowly turned back to him with bitter tears flowing from her eyes.

"This time is not like the others," he growled. "This woman is unlike anything I have faced before; she is faster, deadlier, and hell-bent on taking your life."

Silence grew heavier over the courtyard. Only the whistling of the wind, and Julius's foot steppes dared to make a sound. He strolled past the frozen Dante to Ezio's and Elinana's side, and flung the blanket over Ezio.

"I think it wise if we continued on back indoors." he stated then turned to stroll back up the stairs. Ezio released Elinana's shoulders, and looked down at himself before hastily wrapping the blanket around himself. Elinana turned away and marched after Julius, violently pawing her tears away. Dante stood frozen behind, then snapped out of the spell, and followed a bit back from Ezio. Still fearful of his wrath, and vampirism.

"Where are my clothes?" Ezio demanded once they returned to the chamber, looking about for his robes.

"Gone to be washed and dried," replied Julius as Elinana sank onto the sofa. "They should be ready for you at the end of the hour. Till then, warm yourself by the fire; all of you."

Ezio marched to the sofa, and sat a foot away from Elinana. Dante took up potation behind Elinana, and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You should not be so heard on your apprentice," Julius stated to Ezio. "She worried much for you, and warmed you with her own body."

Ezio whipped his head her direction with images he didn't wish to see running through his mind. But Dante stood in the dark, not knowing enough English to follow.

"If I hadn't _cuddled_ with you," she stated as if she read his mind. "Your heart would have failed, then Lilith's goons would have had Julius and I for dinner, and Dante for desert! Still think I should have stayed behind?"

"Yes, and do not use that tone with me!"

"Or what? she snapped, turning to him. "You'll send me to my room, bend me on our lap and spank me?"

"God knows I want to do both!" he snarled back.

"Silence, both of you!" Julius boomed, silencing the two. He then composed himself, and continued with a calm voice. "Ezio, I must ask you why you had come to Basilica di San Marco?"

"I came because I needed answers to what, and who the woman was." Ezio replied, slowly growing calmer.

"How did you know to come here for your answers?"

"Because it was here she escaped from."

"How did you know this?" Julius pressed.

"Because of me," answered Elinana. "I had a nightmare, or vision—whatever you want to call it. I saw the thieves kill the monk, and watched Lilith rise and kill them. And—." Elinana hesitated.

"She saw her, and called her 'Venenum Solis'." Ezio continued for her. "She was hysteric with fear, believing she had actually saw Lilith. So, I investigated and came here."

"Now you're cursed." she murmured then thought: _"I should have tried to go again, even if I dyed in the process."_

"What?" Ezio asked in bewilderment, turning to her.

"What do you mean 'what'?"

"Your father would never have wished you to try it again! And most certainly not if it meant you perishing in the process!"

Elinana gazed wide eyed at him mouth slightly ajar.

"How di—," she muttered with shock.

"Do not dare blame yourself for _my_ actions," Ezio growled, gripping her shoulders once more. "You tried to stop me from going. Do not lay the blame of what has happened to me, on your shoulders!"

Elinana gazed at him with a spaced out look, then let her head fall heavily forward.

"I can't take much more of this." She murmured with a cracking voice.

"Intriguing," Julius mourned. "Ezio did you just hear her thoughts in your mind?"

Ezio looked up at him with bafflement as Dante tapped her shoulder in assurance; still very much out of the loop.

"Perhaps…" Ezio slowly replied with uncertainty, pulling the wilted Elinana to him as if she where a limp hanging puppet. "It does not mater, what can you tell me of this Lilith?"

"Much is speculated about her origins," Julius began. "But the fact remains that she was the first demon who birthed the monsters of the night; you being among them as it appears."

"That _creature_ is not the woman that birthed me! However, at first she could control me, but shortly after I awoke from being bitten, I could resist her more."

"Is that so?" Julius asked, eyes blinking at Ezio like an owl.

"Sì, do you suppose that I am now immune to her control, and if so; how can I kill her?"

"When precisely did she no longer have control over you?"

"It was when she asked me where Elinana was."

"I find it intriguing that you did not know that Elinana is your child, and that she has the blood of The Lost Daughter."

"What?" Elinana and Ezio both exclaimed in unison, looking up at Julius in disbelief.

"A vampire may command their bitten child to do many heinous things, but not to their own children, or grandchildren. And the children of the lost daughter of Adam and Eve was named Venenum Solis by vampires. For it is said that Cain's blade lined with Eve's blood is only thing that can kill the Night Mother; Lilith. The Venenum Solis are also said to be immune to the bite!"

Elinana gazed down at the fire, leaning heavily into Ezio who look at her then up at Julius.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"What does your heart tell you?"

"That does not explain why I heard her thoughts."

"Much is still not known about Vampires," Julius replied. "Perhaps it is something simply special between you both."

"What about the curse?" Elinana asked, looking up at the old Pope. "You said Ezio was still half human yet, is there a way to undo what Lilith has done to him?"

Julius took a deep breath in thought, and looked down at her pleading eyes. Dante still was a good deal out of the loop, but still had a hand on her shoulder.

"As I said, much is unknown about vampires. Albeit, it is said that if one drinks the blood of the Vampire that bit them, and kills the Vampire; the curse would be lifted. But, only if they have not drunk Human blood."

Elinana gave a sigh of relief, and turned into Ezio's chest. He wrapped his arms around her, and held her close.

"Would you and Dante excuse Elinana and I?" he softly asked.

"Of course." He replied and strolled around the sofa and tugged Dante toward the door. Dante was hesitant, but obediently followed, and learned all what was said.

Ezio leaned back, and pulled the blankets around Elinana and himself to make a comfortable nest. Elinana nestled tightly against him, her head resting in the curve of his shoulder. He pulled her hood down, and tugged out the loose tie of her ponytail. Laying the white ribbon on the blankets he ran his hand over her silky chestnut tresses.

"What is wrong?" he asked softly.

"I always heated vampires." She murmured.

"I take it you are still angry with me?" he attempted to lighten the mood by jesting. But she only buried her face deeper against him.

"I can't lose my family," she mumbled into his flesh. "Not when I just _finally_ found out that Leo was right."

"I am not going anywhere Poco Colomba." Ezio murmured, realizing that through generations—in more than one way—a child of his flesh and blood lied in his arms. A deeper sense of connection formed between them, one that was deeper than marrow. He tightened his grip on her, refusing to let her go.

" _Ohana."_ her thoughts murmured in his mind.

" _What was that?"_ his thoughts echoed back.

" _It's Hawaiian for family."_ Her thoughts replied. _"Man this is weird!"_

Ezio chuckled, making Elinana smile.

"Really? I have not noticed." he replied sarcastically, felling her tremble with quiet laughter.

 **End of chapter II!**

 **This one had a lot going on, but I had to get the lore out of the way. And see? I can save him! Last chapter comes out around Halloween!**


	3. Chapter III

**Translations**

 _la mia colomba-_ My dove

 _Lei era il tuo agnello_ -She was you lamb

 _Ti amo_ -I love you

 _Ti amo anch'io-_ I love you too

 **(You all can figure out the ones I didn't add.)**

* * *

Thick dark gray clouds blanketed the sky. Delicate snowflakes slowly drifted down, twirling, and dancing on the breeze. The gray courier pigeon took the air, and carried the tiny message to Rosa and the others. Ezio watched it go, and felt a small sense of foreboding; as if he would soon have to let something go soon. Dismissing the feeling, he turned away from the window, and strode out of Pope Julius's study.

Ezio followed the hallway to the spiraling stairs, then descended to the next floor to a hallway similar to the other. Marching down the hallway three doors down, he turned to the heavy wooden door and rapped gently on it.

"Yes?" came the muffled voice of Elinana from within.

" _It is me."_ Ezio thought, then waited for her thoughts to reply in his mind.

" _I think you enjoy this more then me."_ Her thoughts grumbled. _"It's like giving a phone to a toddler."_

" _I heard that."_ His thoughts retorted.

"Get in here already if you want to enter!" Elinana snapped as she marched to the door and flung it open. "We have _mouths_ for a reason you know!"

" _I know; I just love to mess with you."_ His thoughts replied as he smirked at her. He then examined the plain white gown she wore. The sleeves where long and baggy, much like the rest of it; giving Elinana the appearance of a child trying on cloths much too big for her. Ezio's smirk grew into a smile, and he stepped into the room before closing it behind him.

"I think you should dress like this more." Ezio stated playfully, making Elinana glare at him.

"I feel ridiculous," she grumbled.

Ezio arched an eyebrow and tilted before suddenly wrapping his arms around her, and held her close.

"You do not look ridiculous, la mia colomba." He stated before kissing her temple, and heard her heart beat grow to a steady soft pattern. Ezio had expected that he would crave her blood above all others; but he had been fear from right. When she was around him, his thirst for blood nearly completely subsided to nothing. Her presence also made him feel human again, and strong. Strong enough to fight Lilith. Elinana gazed at him, and sensed something behind his eerie, frosty blue eyes that nearly shined like a cat's when in shadow.

"Do you need more wine?" she asked, referring to the Julius's concoction of red wine mixed with lamb's blood that helped revive him.

"No." he simply murmured.

"Then what's wrong?"

Ezio looked into her after storm gray eyes, and placed his hand to the back of her head.

"Promise me that when she comes for you, you will let me do the fighting."

"If she can move like the others, I don't think I have much chance facing with her. I've done the math Ezio; running or fighting, you are our only real chance against her. And I know you'll hand the old witch's hiney to her!"

Ezio busted out laughing, and took a step back as he shook with laughter.

"I love the way you use different words to slander!" he laughed. "Come, it is about time for Julius's ceremony."

Ezio wrapped an arm across her back and guided her to the door. They followed the hallway to the stairs and descended down to the hall that lead to a room where Julius, Dante, and a small number of monks gathered. A large wooden cross hung on the wall behind the pope, and a basin sat in a white marble pedestal before him.

Ezio led her to the doorway then stopped, and lightly punched her onward. Julius previously explained that they could perform a shortened baptism ritual to purify Elinana, so her blood would be more potent to Lilith—as so Julius clamed. But Ezio being bitten, he would have to hang back, during the ceremony, but he being the only blood relative of Elinana had to be present, and represent her family.

Once Elinana stood before the basin of oil and blessed water, Julius began the ceremony by reading a passage from the leather bible in his hands in Latin. He raised his right hand, still reciting in Latin, and drew a cross before her then placed his hand on her head. He then gestured for her to kneel, and she crimpled; gracefully kneeling down onto a special cushion that looked old, and well kept. A monk with a silver plate stepped forward and Julius took a small bit if bread from the plate. He held out the bread to her, and she opened her mouth for him to pop it in. She chewed it quickly as he looked past her to Ezio, and said something to him. Ezio replied in Latin, and drew a cross in the air in place of drawing one on Elinana's forehead. Julius continued, then murmured: "Amen." The other monks echoed the word, including Dante and Ezio.

"Amen." Elinana murmured, then rose to Julius's gesture.

Julius continued, and motioned for her to bend forward. She obeyed, bending over the basin, and saw her reflection. The pope drew back some of her hair as a monk stepped forth with a shell shaped silver spoon. He dipped the spoon into the water, then brought it up over her head, and poured the cool oil and blessed water on her head.

Three times he poured the liquid on her head, speaking in Latin as he did so. The cool liquid ran down her scalp to her face and dripped back into the basin. She then rose as a monk with a towel stepped to her side, and helped dry her face and head.

Julius then took the tall lit candle, and strolled toward Ezio with a monk at his flank, holding an unlit candle. The monk handed it to Ezio with a shacking hand, then quickly withdrew when Ezio only just gripped it. Julius held out the lit candle for Ezio to lit his. Elinana joined Ezio side so to finish the ceremony. Julius continued in Latin till he came to her name: "…Elinana Cleo Eve Doricent,"

Julius then blow out his candle, and handed it to a monk before turning back to Ezio and Elinana.

"It is done. Eve is now pure, and now we can bleed her to strengthen the blade," Julius turned to Ezio. "You need not stay; we will only take enough to lightly coat the blade."

"Elinana is my flesh and blood," Ezio replied. "I am staying."

Julius reluctantly nodded then took Elinana's arm, and strolled back to the marble pedestal. A monk took the basin away for another monk to replace it with another that was empty. Julius took a dagger from a bowing monk, then walked around to put his back to the cross on the wall. He stretched her arm over the golden basin, then rolled up her sleeve to expos her slender pale arm, and tightly wrapped a cloth around her bicep.

The pope murmured a quick prayer, then slid it arouse Elinana's upper forearm. Beads of blood flowed from the cut to the basin with heavy drips. Ezio heard her heart beat faster, and saw her face grow slightly pale. He quickly marched to her side and warped his arm around her waist to support her, and catch her should she pass out. She looked away from her blood to Ezio's frowning face.

" _It doesn't hurt much,"_ her thoughts murmured into his mind, and he met her gaze. _"And you don't have to stay if it bothers you."_

" _I am staying,"_ his thoughts replied. _"And the only thing that is bothering me; is that we have to bleed you for that damned blade, and use you as bait."_

Elinana began to feel pins and needles in her hand and arm. She wiggled her fingers then curled her hand into a fist several times to keep blood flow to her hand. But her hand still felt tingly.

"Julius, I think that is enough blood." Ezio stated, seeing her grow pale.

"Alright," Julius replied, and took a cloth from a monk. He pressed the cloth to the cut, and undid the tie around her bicep. "Brother Jacob is waiting back up in the guest chamber for her."

Ezio nodded then began to lead Elinana back, but questions swirled around in his head, hardly noticing Elinana leaning heavily on him. But Dante noticed. He quickly marched to her side and scooped her up into his arms. Both Elinana and Ezio looked at him with surprise, but Ezio's gaze grew soft with approval.

"I can walk." Elinana grumbled, but Dante ignored her statement. She gave it up, knowing that he could be stubborn. Ezio watched them go then turned back to Julius.

"Julius," Ezio addressed as he marched toward the monk. "Where _is_ the first blade?"

"In a crypt beneath the cathedral," the pope replied. "Brother Peter is retrieving it. _Protections_ had been placed over the crypt, making it impossible for a child of night, or a man that does not keep the word of God in his heart; to get to it."

"What sort of protections?" Ezio inquired.

"Ones that even you could not overcome. Brother Pete should return with it shortly."

"What if your books are wrong about Lilith; that the blade will have no effect on her, and that instead of being turned back to human by drinking her blood, I am turned into a monster?"

"I two share your fears, Ezio," Julius murmured with candor. "But we must have faith that the old text was written in truth."

"Faith alone will not protect Elinana."

"But I do!" Julius replied with a grin. "I have faith in you, and in the lord."

"And I pray it will all be enough." Ezio murmured.

* * *

The dark gray sky grew darker with the closing of twilight. A chilly breeze blew the loose snow from the rooftops, dancing and weave down onto the pair of Assassins. Ezio held the stone blade lined with Elinana's blood under his cape, and tightly griped Elinana's hand. She stood close to him, shivering, and chattering her teeth.

" _Maybe Lilith intends to let me freeze to death."_ Elinana thought, forgetting that she could share her thoughts with Ezio.

" _If she does not come soon,"_ Ezio's thoughts nearly growled. _"I am sending you inside, and pouring the remainder of your blood from the ceremony around as bait."_

"Don't Ezio," Elinana murmured through chattering teeth. "If all else fails, my blood is our last weapon. And I have no intention on being on the menu!"

"Being on the menu?" he echoed her words.

"Yeah! I never liked Vampires because I thought blood drinking was gross."

Ezio laughed warmly, bringing a smile to Elinana's face.

"Now Werewolves on the other hand are not as bad; you just have to be careful one night every month. Other than that, one could live a half coursed life. Not that it would be sunshine and daisies, but at the very least you could still live."

"Would you have preferred me being a _Werewolf_ , then half a Vampire?"

"I prefer you being _you_ , Ezio." she warmly smiled to him, then rested her head on his shoulder. "Boy it's brisk! Brings me back to the good old days when Dad tried to teach me how to skate on ice; it never ended well."

Ezio opened his mouth to reply, but halted, and gazed about when the smell of coppery blood reached his unnaturally sharpened senses. He pulled Elinana behind him with his arm around her protectively, and eyed the gaping mouth up to the darkening sky.

" _Ezio?"_ Elinana's thoughts whispered into his mind.

" _Be ready to run."_ His thoughts replied to her firmly.

Silence grew as Elinana's heart steadily beat faster with fear; beating in Ezio's ears like the galloping of a horse. Seconds seemed to drag into minutes, and minutes into hours. Elinana tightly gripped Ezio's hand, and the hilt of her knife. The grip on her knife was strong, she made her knuckles and fingers stung with pain. She gazed about the shadows, expecting to see red glowing eyes gazing into her soul. Her breaths made vaporous clouds that swirled and bloomed into the air before evaporating into the night. Elinana's heart steadily crept up her throat as hours seemed to stretch.

" _Where is she?"_ Elinana's thoughts asked.

Ezio didn't reply. He stared hard at the shadows, daring them to produce Lilith. The bloody smell of her scent was unmistakable, but seemed to come from all-around. He would have run off like a hound after a fox if it wasn't Elinana; whom the Mother of Night was after.

A monstrous, bloodcurdling screech that no animal or man could make, stabbed the air, and cut deep into Elinana's and Ezio's ears. But it was worse for Ezio do-to his senses being sharper. Both Assassins released their hold on one another, and pressed their hands tightly to their ears in attempt to muffle the terrible sound. Lilith emerged from the shadows, arms wide out as if to welcome an embrace, mouth agape as if she were singing. But the sound that poured from her mouth was far from a pleasant melody; it rivaled even the so-called singing of all the minstrels put together.

Ezio fell to his knees from the painful nightmarish melody, feeling as if his eardrums could shatter any moment. Elinana turned and gazed in terror at the crimson and ivory Mother of monsters. Her limbs froze in terror as Lilith slowly strolled toward them. Ezio saw both Elinana and Lilith at each corners of his eyes.

" _Run!"_ Ezio's thoughts shouted to Elinana over the painful screeching. _"Run!"_

Elinana didn't hear his thoughts through the screeching. She stood frozen as stone in Lilith's crimson gaze, not even registering the frozen touch of the fat snowflakes that danced down all-around them. Ezio fought the stabbing pain in his ears, and took his hands from his ears to tightly grip the stone blade of Cain. He pushed himself to his feet and darted for Lilith in a blur. Lilith ceased her screeching as she leaped high up to the side of the structure, and crawled like a spider into the shadows. Ezio ran back to Elinana as she tried to shake herself from the frozen spell.

"Get inside!" Ezio ordered, tightly gripping Elinana's wrist before shoving her toward the hallway that lead into the cathedral. Elinana obeyed, and quickly turned to run for the hall as Ezio followed her as he eyed the shadows. The clapping of their boots echoed through the hallway into the large hall of the cathedral. Ezio pulled her to a stop just several yards from the center of the grand hall.

"Holy," Elinana panted. "Holy mother of—!"

"Mind what you say, we are in a church." Ezio murmured over his should.

"I'm starting to which she was more like those stupid Twilight Vampires," Elinana grumbled with a cracking voice. "Then it would be a hacek of a lot easier to fight and kill her."

" _What is a Twilight Vampier?"_ Ezio's thoughts asked.

" _You don't want to know."_ She replied.

Glass shattered loudly to their right, and echoed loudly through the cathedral. Ezio pushed Elinana, making her stumble some as Lilith leapt for him. She landed on him and pinned him down with bone snapping strength. Lilith snarled, then opened her mouth with her shiny long fangs to bear down on him, but this time to drink and tear his head from his shoulders.

Elinana's blade glinted as it flew into Lilith's side, pulling a bloodcurdling screech of pain from the creature's throat. Ezio took the opportunity to throw Lilith from him with a force he never expected. Lilith rose and pulled Elinana's blade from her side, then ran into the shadows in a blur, and Ezio took off after her.

" _Go!"_ Ezio's thoughts ordered into Elinana's mind.

" _Be careful."_ Elinana replied as she sharply turned heel, and ran down the hall to the right. Knowing that Dante closed the doors they came through in attempt to trap Lilith in. But now seeing her, Elinana wondered if they are only prolonging the inevitable.

Ezio chased after Lilith, with the blur of shadows dancing around him. His incomplete curse made him faster, but Lilith still was faster than him. She then leapt and crawled up the gold decorated wall. He tried to follow her but lacked the ability.

"Thou are weak!" Lilith called from the darkness. A _whooshing_ sound of a falling form made him turn, and rise the stone blade. But Lilith gripped his wrist and throat.

"If thy had drank the blood of man, thy could face me properly!" she then threw him across the hall over the alter, and hit the wall before falling to the floor unconscious.

* * *

Elinana heaved herself up and over the stone railing, then started to run for the secret passage. But a blur leapt and crouched before for her. Lilith turned her crimson gaze to Elinana, and held Elinana in her Gorgon like trance. She smiled, revealing her shiny teeth. Then her body started to contort itself. Her arms and fingers grew was bones snapped and popped as her structure shifted and tore out of the crimson gown.

Elinana felt her knees shack under her, threating to give way under her as she watched Lilith morph into a monstrous bat that slowly crawled toward her. Lilith's large red eyes held Elinana firmly. Her large curved claws tapped against the ground as she crawled. Elinana's heart drummed madly in her ribcage, wanting to escape from her chest. Lilith heard her frantic heart, and smiled a fang filled mouth.

Movement behind Elinana broke Lilith's concentration on Elinana, freeing her from the spell. Elinana reached for one of her small throwing knives and threw it into Lilith's right eye. Lilith screeched and lashed about in pain, and toppled over the railing. A hand gripped hers and she turned to see Dante before he pulled her into a run toward the secret passage. As they ran, Elinana looked over the railing and searched for Ezio, but saw no trace of him.

"Wait!" Elinana ordered, pulling against Dante. But he tugged her on with the growls and snarls of Lilith below. Lilith leaped back up, flapping her large wings that pushed Elinana's hood back with the powerful force of wind.

Elinana stopping fight Dante and slipped inside the cool stone curve with him. The stone groaned loudly as it spun, plunging them both into darkness as Lilith darted for them. She lunged her hooked wing in after them, but was wedged between the stone walls. Lilith screeched in anger, and trying to pull back the stone, but it would not give.

Dante pushed Elinana through the stone gap into the single lantern lit hall, and quickly followed her. Lilith began to slam her body against the stone, making the walls shack as Dante took the lantern and her hand. Momentarily safe, they ran down the hall to the exit to find the now friendly looking white skull framed by the Assassin's insignia. Dante pulled out the upper part of the skull and it clicked and shifted upside-down, then the heavy stone slab groaned as it slid back for then to slip out into the chilly air.

Elinana nearly gasped to the freshness, as if she had been trapped in a stuffy tomb for years. She followed him to the ladder and clambered up to the roof. Dante gazed about to the heavy dark snow fall. But was unable to see the city that was consumed by snow and night. Giving the feel of isolation, and abandonment from the world to the merciless monster, whom was most likely trying to find another way to them. Elinana ran past Dante for the far side.

" _Ezio?"_ her thoughts called out, but was replied only the dead silence. _"Ezio pleas say something!"_

" _Where are you?"_ Ezio's thoughts called to her just before glass once more shattered, but this time from behind. Dante pulled Elinana toward the cover of one of the snow blanketed domes, and they huddled close as they listened the flapping of wings.

" _Roof!"_ her thoughts shouted. _"We're on the roof!"_

Something large landing on top of the dome behind Elinana and Dante. Dante made the mistake by looking up, but Elinana blindly threw a slender knife up, and heard Lilith quickly take flight once more.

" _I can't fight her off much longer!"_ Elinana thought as she quickly rose and tugged Dante to his feet.

" _I am on my way!"_ Ezio replied.

Elinana and Dante ran to take cover by the side of another dome. Then an unnerving silence grew, making the hairs on the back of Elinana's neck stand on end. Ezio suddenly heaved himself up onto the roof, and hope flooded through Elinana. But instead of mirroring hope, Ezio's face turned to fear and anger, and look above her and Dante. She followed his gaze to see Lilith's blurring form leap down and push her into the air with a claw dragging across her stomach.

"Elinana!" Ezio called and ran after Elinana, as she flew over the edge of the roof.

Air whipped around Elinana, making her braid, robes, and indigo sash dance and whip. Ezio dived after her, and reached out a hand for her. Her own hand reached out for him, with pain burning where Lilith slashed her.

" _I love you…"_ her thoughts murmured into his mind, before she collided with a single snow covered stone step with a _crack_ , and sank into the icy water of the channel. Her limp body floated down as Ezio dove into the icy waters. His shoulder met Elinana's bleeding middle. With her in his gentle grip, he quickly swam up to the surface. Kicking to the step that Elinana's head meet, he gently heaved her up out of the water, and crawled after her. He scooped her into his arms and pulled her completely out of the water. Gently laying her down, he pressed his hand to her bloody abdomen, and under her head where he felt sharp bits of bone poking his hand. He listened for her heart beat, but all was silent as the falling snow.

" _No."_ Ezio's thought's sobbed. Hot tears grow behind his eyes, and a sob claw at his throat as he looked down on Elinana's bleeding and limp body. He then gingerly took her back into his arms, and rocked as hot tears flowed from his eyes onto her closed eyelids.

"Lei era il tuo agnello." Ezio growled to the dark, snow heavens. _"Lei era il tuo agnello!"_

"Thy Father hears thee not," stated the growling voice of Lilith behind him. "He cares not for what wolves do to lambs."

Anger bloomed to life in Ezio like gasoline to flames, and roared with merciless power. He carefully laid Elinana's body down, and drew the stone blade from his belt before sprinting for Lilith in a blur. Lilith's long curved claws at the ends of her wings followed Ezio. Slashing empty air as he slid low and rose to his feet. He darted for the wall of a structure, clambering up just as Lilith swung and punched her clawed wing through the stone. Lilith hissed with glistening teeth as she tore her wing from the walled. She looked up then stretched out her large black wings, and flapped as she leapt up.

Ezio leapt over the side of the roof, blade raised, and landed on Lilith's hairy back. He grabbed Lilith's large bat ear as she leaped, and flapped about. She snapped her jaws in attempt to bit his leg, and pull him from her back but he held firm. Rising the blood stained blade, he drove it into the base of Lilith's neck. She howled eerily in pain and thrashed about. He tried to keep his hold but she flung him from her back.

The blade was still in her neck, and she howled clawed feebly at the blade in attempt to remove it. She spun, and thrashed about in frustration and pain caused by the cursed blade, and the blood that she sought to destroy. Ezio darted away in attempt to not be trampled or slashed at with her lethal claws. He clambered back up the wall and perched himself on the edge of the roof. Watched Lilith suffer, he waited a little before leaping back onto her back. He gripped the ragged handle of the blade, then pushed it to the left with all his strength; halfway cutting off her head.

Lilith screeched then gurgled on her own blood. She lashed about in blind pain with her head half hanging from her black, bleeding neck. She limped to the ground, and clawed at the ground as Elinana's blood worked like poison through Lilith. Ezio got off her back, then knelt before her. He gazed mercilessly into her red eyes, then leaned over her, and bit into her neck. Cold coopery blood flood into his mouth, and the thirst for blood hit him just as it had that morning. He drank her blood as a man dying of thirst would guzzle down water.

Sickness suddenly came over Ezio, making him pull away from Lilith's body, and vomit her blood over into the icy waters below. He fought the gaging and upheaval of cold blood, knowing that he had to sever Lilith's head from her shoulders for her to die. Finally gaining control over his own body, he rose and scuffled to her, clutching the blade. Falling to his knees, Ezio swung at the flesh that kept her head attached to her neck. And let her head roll slightly away, putting an end to the nightmarish fight.

Ezio let the blade clatter away from his hand to the crimson stained snow. Rising uneasily to his feet, Ezio turned back to where Elinana laid undisturbed from the skirmish. Snowflakes danced down onto her, and her blood that pooled and flowed down the white steps to the water that turned crimson. His heart twisted painfully as heat flow through him. Shuffling to her side, Ezio fell to his knees, and laid next to her. He pulled her limp, barely chilled body to his chest, and let the snowflakes dace upon them.

"It is alright Poco Colomba," Ezio whispered to Elinana's lifeless body with a sob scratching at his voice. "I am here, I got you…she cannot harm you."

Hot tears flowed from his eyes to the snow, letting what he thought was death embrace him.

* * *

Hot waves plagued Ezio's heavy limbed body when he bobbed to the surface of the world of the living. Whenever he did a monk would be there waiting; ready to place a cold damp cloth to his forehead. He desperately wanted to yell at them that the cloths helped nothing.

"Where," Ezio asked every time he scratched the surface of the living world. "Is Elinana?"

Every time he asked, the monk would rush away, and leave him to slip back into the darkness. From the darkness he heard wordless voices. Voices he only just recognized to be of his family, and his enemies. He would call out his loved one's names, but none replied. All simply murmured on, save for one that sang in a language he did not know. The voice's song was so beautiful, the best song bird would be jealous, and put to shame.

"Elinana!" Ezio called, as his heart felt as if a hot arrow had struck it. But she continued to sing as a star came into view, and grew till the yellow light engulfed him. A gentle, warm and feather like hand touched his whiskery cheek. He opened his eyes to see the face Elinana over him, seeming to glow in the yellow light of the sun. She smiled warmly at him, and gently gripped his hand.

"Your alive?" Ezio murmured, voice cracking from shock and relief that brought the threat of tears behind his eyes. He reached up to her face and cupped her silky face and waving tresses that caught the light with amber glints.

"In the same way the others are." Elinana replied, bringing her hand away from his face to his chest where his heart laid.

"Others?" He asked, looked around, and saw movement beyond the open window. Rising onto his elbows, he saw his brothers playing a game with Cristina while his Father and Uncle sat in the flowering garden sharing stories.

"In know what you are thinking," she stated, as he watched his loved ones, all words chough in his throat. "But you're not yet dead."

"What do you mean?" he asked turning back to her.

"Unlike us you can still go back yet. You can still live, find love, and have a family that you deserve."

"But you were my family, so are they. Your death is every much on my hands as theirs' are."

"Don't say that," she tightly squeezed his hand. "Don't ever say, or think that for a moment. You did _everything_ that could have been done to prevent our deaths. Don't start thinking like I do. And others still need you, like Desmond."

"You talk as though I am some sort of hero."

"You are one!"

"No," Ezio murmured, gazing at her after storm gray eyes. "I am a killer, and the world could do without another."

"Yes you may kill, but it's not without reason!"

Ezio sadly smiled, cuirassing her cheek.

"I wish I had your optimism, and innocent view of the world. Where on earth did you get it?"

Elinana smiled and shrugged, and tilting her head into his hand.

"Care to find out?" she smirked, making him smile but it withered quickly. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest, and laid back onto the bed tightly holding her.

"The others and I will never leave you," she murmured, gripping his arms as he stroked her silky long hair. "You know that, right?"

"Sì," he replied in his native language. "La mia piccolo colomba."

"Ti amo." She murmured, hugging his arms.

"Ti amo anch'io."

"Look after Dante for me, okay?"

"As you wish."

The light that shone through his eyelids began to fade, as well as his descendent in his arms. He tried to fight, to keep her, and pull her with him into the world of the living with him. But she faded with the warm light, leaving him to the gray cold world of the living. He opened his eyes to look up at Julius who gripped his shoulder.

"Welcome back to the land of the living friend." Julius warmly said.

"Take me to Elinana." Ezio demanded, turning to his side.

"There is time for that later," Julius replied, trying to push Ezio back, but Ezio pushed back and sat up with defiance in his brown eyes. "Your fever only just brock."

"Take me to Elinana." he growled, and gazed hard at Julius.

"Alright, but let me get you something to keep you warm."

* * *

Julius guided Ezio through the halls of the chilly crypts, firmly gripping his arm to keep him from falling over. They passed a small number of stone coffins, all members of the church. Then Julius lead him to a newer one with the Assassin insignia engraved into the ivory stone. Ezio stepped up the tomb, and placed his hand upon the lid.

"I am sorry." Julius murmured.

"leave," Ezio ordered. "Pleas, leave me."

Julius reluctantly complied, and bowing his head as he took his leave. Ezio waited for Julius to leave, then started to weakly push on the heavy stone lid. He ground with effort; the fever sapped most of his strange. But the stone gave way, and he pushed it back till it was near toppling to the ground.

Inside, laying on ivory silk bedding; rested Elinana, clothed in her cleaned and patched up robes with hardly a trace of what had caused her death. Special reserved roses decorated her loose waving hair and hood, and a bouquet rested beneath her white fingers. Ezio gazed down at her dead white face, recalling to mind of the story of Snow White that Elinana once told him on their travels. But unlike the two frozen women; nothing could bring the warmth back to Elinana's cheeks, or mouth that once sang more beautifully then the birds.

Unable to stand seeing her incased in cold stone—living or dead—he weakly scooped up her stiff, cold body and pulled her out of the coffin with some roses falling into the ivory bed, or onto the ground. He stumbled back till his back found a cold column, then sank to the ground; holding Elinana's frozen body on his lap, close to his chest. Ezio sat there on the chilly ground, silently weeping over Elinana's corpse.

Footsteps ran down the hall, echoing loudly as the got nearer. Ezio didn't rise his head. Simply wishing to be left alone to grieve in peace. The running footsteps halted in front of him, then a hand gripped his face, and forced him to look up at Dante who placed a blade to his neck with fire and sorrow burning in his eyes. They gazed at each other unblinkingly, till Ezio murmured in their native language: "I am sorry."

Dante tried to keep the fire ablaze in him, but the pain overcame him, and he lowered his blade and released Ezio. He lowered his head down onto Elinana's chest, then let sobs slip from his lips. Ezio gripped the grieving boy's shoulder, and remembered Elinana's request. It was then that he saw a simple silver band on her wedding finger. He pushed his questions aside for another time and grieved silently with the young assassin thief.

* * *

Some days later, a small gathering comprised of Rosa, Antonio, Dante, Pope Julius II, and Ezio stood on a secluded dock with the sun shining a golden orange just over the blazing Gulf of Venice. A boat bobbed on the water beside the dock. Laying inside was the ghostly white form of Elinana, decorated with red roses, and beneath the bouquet of roses in her frozen grip, was Ezio's sword.

Ezio and Dante stood side by side over Elinana's body. Dante said nothing, nor the others that came, because they had said their goodbyes when she was incased in stone. But not Ezio. Elinana's second funeral was more or less for Ezio; so he may honor her, and gain some amount closure. And for the fact that she once said on their journey, that if she should ever die her body must be burned so no Templers of the future could harness her time traveling ability.

Ezio crouched down and stroked her chilly cheek, as if she had turned into porcelain from the chill of winter that slowed her body's decay. He took in her features one last time, pushing the painful memories of her away when once they had brought a smile to his face.

"Requiescat in pace," he whispered softly to the body. "La mia Colomba."

Ezio and Dante then gently pushed Elinana's small boat out to the waves that pulled her away toward the setting sun. Dante took his short bow from his back, and lit an arrow with a lantern that hanged solemnly in the crisp air from a post. He set the arrow to the bow, and brew back the tight string. Letting the arrow fly it soared like a falling star to the boat. Soon flames grew to the advancing twilight. And the others silently left, but Ezio remained to watch his distant decedent float away in the flams and mirroring water; he was still as stone, save for the hot tears that he didn't bother to fight.

Dante turned away, and darted after Julius. Catching up the old man, the boy gripped his arm, and looked down into the old man's eyes.

"Tell me more about Lilith's children."

* * *

" _And that is how Elinana's journey ends,"_ Ezio wrote in Elinana's journal. _"The Assassin that was not meant to be; a lost orphan that found family, only to fall by the hands of a monster. Should this journal find the man that Elinana once called Father: know that I cared for her dearly, and whish with all my being that I could have saved her from all what befell her._

 _Elinana was unlike many that suffered as she had; she kept her unwavering kindness and innocent outlook of people, and of the world. Though she was scarred, she remained strong. And I hope you are as proud of her as I am._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Ezio Auditore de Firenze_

The End

* * *

 **Holy Mackerel! Hope I haven't scarred you all for life after that. Don't worry, Ely is still perfectly safe with Connor (more or less). At times I did enjoy writing this, but at other times I did feel bad, and wondered if this or that should be changed or taken out. But after some thinking, and looking at the fanfic guidelines, I decided that it wasn't** _ **too**_ **out of line. And I did put up a warning after all. So, hope you all enjoyed it, go have some chocolate to make you feel better, and know that** _ **this was not canon**_ **. Okay?**

 **Okay, the only thing Canon is the fact that Ezio is Ely's ancestor. Nothing else! Save for another small detail….**

 **Please leave a comment, and have a safe, spooky All Hallows Eve!**

 _ **(Boo!)**_


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